Dr Wells appointed deputy secretary-general of Anglican Communion
THE Bishop for Episcopal Ministry in the Anglican Communion, Dr Jo Bailey Wells, is to become the deputy secretary-general of the Anglican Communion, the secretary-general, the Rt Revd Anthony Poggo, announced on Wednesday. Dr Wells will continue her current portfolio of work, which includes overseeing episcopal ministry development and Phase Three of the Lambeth Conference, focused on the Lambeth Calls. Bishop Poggo said: “Bishop Jo plays an important role in the life of the Anglican Communion Office and the wider Anglican Communion. As my deputy, she will play an increased role of the leadership in the Secretariat while continuing to develop connections between bishops around the world.”
Solidarity for Brazil flood victims
THE general-secretary of the World Council of Churches, the Revd Professor Jerry Pillay, and Pope Francis have expressed solidarity with the people of Brazil, after at least 41 people died and thousands were made homeless by torrential rain and winds caused by a freak cyclone last week. Professor Pillay said: “As tens of thousands of people cope with the aftermath of the flooding, we want you to know that you are in our thoughts and prayers.” More than 300mm of rain fell on the state of Rio Grande do Sul in fewer than 24 hours, triggering floods and landslides. In a telegram to the RC Archbishop of Santa Maria, the Most Revd Leomar Brustolin, Pope Francis offered his “paternal solicitude” and hoped that the reconstruction would happen “quickly and effectively”.
Nigerian seminarian burned alive in attack
THE RC Bishop of Kafanchan in Nigeria, the Rt Revd Julius Yakubu Kundi, has confirmed that a 25-year-old seminarian, Na’aman Danlami, has been killed in an attack by unidentified assailants in the parish rectory of St Raphael, on Thursday of last week. Two priests, Fr Emmanuel Okolo and Fr Monday Noah, escaped, he said in a message last Saturday, Vatican News reports. “The attackers wanted to abduct the parish priest but because it was difficult to gain access into the priest’s residence, they resorted to setting fire on the facility. In the process, two priests escaped though sadly, we lost the seminarian who was burnt inside.” Bishop Kundi continued: “We are deeply pained by the gruesome murder of our little brother, Seminarian Na’aman Ngufe. . . Let’s prove to our enemies that their arsenals of evil have failed again.”
Next Bishop of Albany backs same-sex marriage
THE next and tenth Bishop of Albany in the Episcopal Church in the United States is to be the Revd Jeremiah Williamson. He was elected last Saturday in the fourth ballot, and will be consecrated and installed on 24 February, pending churchwide consents. Mr Williamson has been the Rector of Grace and St Stephen’s Episcopal Church, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, since 2016. He was chosen from four nominees during an electing convention held at the Cathedral of All Saints’, in Albany. All four candidates indicated that they would allow same-sex couples to marry in church. This would be a first for the northern New York diocese. Albany diocese is the last in the Episcopal Church to prohibit same-sex marriage. It has been without a diocesan bishop since February 2021, when the Rt Revd William Love quit while facing disciplinary action after he banned clergy in his diocese from using the marriage rites for same-sex couples which were approved in the 2018 General Convention (News, 30 October 2020).